Archaeology of Adriatic shipbuilding and seafaring PAKOŠTANE PROJECT, LATE ROMAN SHIPWRECK NEAR THE ISLET VELI ŠKOLJ IN THE GEOLOGICAL/GEOGRAPHICAL AND CULTURAL/HISTORICAL CONTEXT Abstract: Pakoštane today is a modern tourist destination on the Dalmatian coast, nearly half way between the two well‐known urban centres of Zadar and Šibenik. Its history has to be considered within the context of the history of the whole region, comprising the nearby Lake of Vrana to the east and the Channel of Pašman towards the northwest. The Lake of Vrana is the biggest natural lake in Croatia. It is actually a Karst valley formed some 10.000 years ago and filled with brackish water. A pretty narrow limestone barrier (800‐2.500 m wide) separates it from the sea, making it easily accessible from the Pakoštane port situated in front of the south‐eastern entrance to the Channel of Pašman. Due to the presence of many natural springs, the area of the lake has been the important source of fresh water for the whole region. Its mild climate, fertile soil and the abundance of water stimulated the agriculture from prehistoric to modern times, making the cultivation of vegetables possible during the whole year. The Channel of Pašman, named after the long nearby island running parallel to the coast, represents the shortest navigation route to and from the colony of Iader. It is divided into so called eastern and western passage by a series of small islands situated in the centre of its south‐eastern part. Due to many shallows and reefs the modern navigation and fishing activity is strictly controlled by a number of regulations, while its other natural characteristics require careful navigation too. The present area of Pakoštane is protected by three small islands, one of them housing a small church of St. Justina, said to be a votive church edified after the Battle of Lepanto. The second one named Veli školj, meaning “big islet”, conserves the traces of a small fortification probably from prehistoric period, while the third one named Babuljaš doesn’t show any traces of human activity. It seems that in Roman times the islands of Sveta Justina and Veli školj formed one single island that was probably connected to the mainland in the form of a small peninsula or maybe separated from it by an extremely shallow passage. In the first case the area of the port could have been divided into two separate smaller bays, one of them protected by a rectilinear combination of a natural and a human‐made barrier. The relatively recent discovery of the well preserved shipwreck in the Late Roman layer could testify to the continuity of the port through Late Antiquity, when the Channel of Pašman became part of the important Eastern Adriatic navigation route taking pilgrims from the island of Corfu towards Aquileia and Ravenna. The shipwreck is situated between the village and the island of Veli školj, about 100 m from its north‐eastern promontory. Good visibility, low depth, thin sandy layer above the hull and well preserved wooden material were some of the main reasons for choosing this shipwreck to be studied by the international team of experts, thus introducing the principles of nautical archaeology in the Croatian archaeological science. Archaeology of Adriatic shipbuilding and seafaring PAKOŠTANE PROJECT, LATE ROMAN SHIPWRECK NEAR THE ISLET VELI ŠKOLJ IN THE GEOLOGICAL/GEOGRAPHICAL AND CULTURAL/HISTORICAL CONTEXT Content Foreword Introduction I. Geological/geographical and cultural/historical context Pakoštane in the light of cartographic sources: position and significance of a small Croatian settlement in the large Mediterranean and Adriatic system (Josip Faričić) Geological, structural‐tectonic and hydrogeological features of the Pakoštane area (Slobodan Miko, Tamara Marković, Ozren Hasan) Geographical features of the Pakoštane County (Nina Lončar, Fran Domazetović) Archaeology of the Pakoštane area (Irena Radić Rossi) Underwater prehistoric lithic finds from Janice in Pakoštane (Dario Vujević, Marko Meštrov) Excavation of the Roman port at Janice in Pakoštane (Mate Parica, Mato Ilkić) Wooden Roman structures in the Pakoštane port (ancient saltpans?) (Krunoslav Zubčić, Irena Radić Rossi) Sea level and coastline changes of the Pakoštane coast through ages (Irena Radić Rossi, Fabrizio Antonioli) II. – Late Roman shipwreck near the islet of Veli školj Discovery of the shipwreck site (Irena Radić Rossi) Underwater excavation and analysis of the ship’s hull (Giulia Boetto, Vincent Dumas, Sabrina Marlier, Irena Radić Rossi) Methodology and course of the research Ship’s cargo, equipment and heart Ship’s hull Methods and techniques of recording the hull The form of the ship and the state of preservation Longitudinal axis of the ship Planking and plank joinery Transversal elements of the hull Internal longitudinal elements of the hull Archaeology of Adriatic shipbuilding and seafaring PAKOŠTANE PROJECT, LATE ROMAN SHIPWRECK NEAR THE ISLET VELI ŠKOLJ IN THE GEOLOGICAL/GEOGRAPHICAL AND CULTURAL/HISTORICAL CONTEXT Stanchion Protection of the hull Reparations of the hull Interpretation of shipbuilding methods and techniques Ceramic objects (Céline Huguet) Methodology of research Ceramic vessels Amphorae Fine ware Kitchen ware Pottery produced on the slow potter’s wheel or without it Lamp Construction material Conclusion Archaeometric analysis of the ceramic finds (Claudio Capelli) Group E (eolian quarz) Group V (volcanites) Group M (acid methamorphic) Group G (general) Analysis of the wooden material of the hull and other wooden finds (Frédéric Guibal, Sandra Greck, Carine Cenzon‐Salvayre) Planking Framing Ceiling and limber boards Stanchion Joinery Dunnage Conclusion Pollen remains in the pitch used for the protection of the hull (Valérie Andrieu‐Ponel) Technique of pollen extraction Determination of pollen remains Interpretation Conclusion Closing remarks (Irena Radić Rossi, Giulia Boetto) Bibliography Appendix: Terminology of wooden shipbuilding – Selected terms for nautical archaeology purpose Authors